(Fort Scott Civil War Monument), (sculpture).

(Fort Scott Civil War Monument), (sculpture).

Unknown, sculptor.

Bruce, D. P., contractor.

(Fort Scott Civil War Monument), (sculpture).

Installed 1906.

Sculpture: gray granite; Base: gray granite.

Sculpture: approx. H. 8 ft. 6 in.; Base: approx. H. 21 ft. 6 in. x 8 ft. x 8 ft.

(On northeast face of base:) (Polished middle panel:) 1906/ERECTED/BY/Wm H. LYTLE POST No 32/DEPT. OF KAN./BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION/(G.A.R. insignia)/THE MEN IN WHOSE HONOR THIS/MONUMENT IS ERECTED WERE LED BY/THE FIRES OF LIBERTY/THEY FOUGHT FOR NO NORTH, NO/SOUTH, NO EAST, NO WEST, BUT FOR/ONE GLORIOUS AND UNITED COUNTRY (Lower slab, raised lettering:) IN MEMORY OF THE/VOL.DEFENDERS/OF THE UNION/1861-1865 (On southwest face of base, lower slab:) MONUMENT COMMITTEE/M.LIEPMAN/DAN TODD/J.J.PEASLEY/G.W.COMBS/O.B.MASON unsigned

The war monument consists of a granite soldier statue surmounting a tall granite base and, associated with it, a smaller cannon memorial 15 feet to the northeast. The soldier is a mustached, uniformed Civil War soldier, who stands at rest holding his rifle in front of him with both hands on the upper end of the rifle. His proper left hand is located a short distance below the muzzle, above his proper right hand, with both hands centered at his chest. The soldier wears a kepi, a greatcoat buttoned at the neck, and a cape thrown back over his proper right side exposing all of his arm and shoulder. The lower part of the coat is unbuttoned and the hem of the proper right side is folded back. From the proper left side of his belt hangs a bayonet in scabbord. A cartridge pouch hangs at his proper right rear hip.

The sculpture is mounted atop a four-sided, tapered base with a pyramidal cap and a graduated bottom. The cap contains bas-relief decorations on each face. On the northeast side are crossed sabers; on the northwest, an unfurled flag; on the southwest, an anchor; and on the southeast, crossed cannons. The sculpture rests in a triangular-shaped flower garden bounded by limestone curbing. A triangular-shaped limestone inscription block rests within the curbing and a Civil War cannon is positioned nearby on a rock base.

History -- United States -- Civil War

Figure male -- Full length

Occupation -- Military -- Soldier

Dress -- Uniform -- Military Uniform

Outdoor Sculpture -- Kansas -- Fort Scott

Administered by Bourbon County, Fort Scott, Kansas

Located Bourbon County Courthouse, East of building, adjacent to Civil War cannon, Fort Scott, Kansas

The sculpture was installed by William H. Lytle Post No. 32 and funded through public subscription. The sculpture honors all Union soldiers who served during the Civil War. Nearby inscription block reads: (on east face) Wm H. LYTLE/POST NO 32/MUSTERED DEC. 12, 1881; (on north face) Wm H. LYTLE/RELIEF CORPS No 11/MUSTERED DEC-.1883. For related reading see George Martin's article in Kansas City Historical Collections 11 (1910): pg. 264.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Kansas survey, 1995.

National Park Service, American Monuments and Outdoor Sculpture Database, KS2006, 1989.

Monumental News, Feb. 1905, pg. 148.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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